Blurring Reality
by Jenn1
Summary: Movie bookbased. With the war now over, the Pevensies spend the holidays with their uncle, aunt, and cousin, Eustace. The time is bittersweet for Peter and Edmund, who know all about war. And Eustace overhears something he should have not… Pre-VDT.


I seriously have to stop posting new fics and _continue_ on what I have started.... like _Where I Belo_ng... (grins sheepishly)

Going movieverse here, that means some different routes than the book, slightly, with time. (Not to add that Lewis did say that _The Voyage of the_ Dawn Treader was meant to take place after the war.)

**Title:** Blurring Reality

**Author:** Jenn

**Summary: **[Movie/bookbased] With the war now over, the Pevensies spend the holidays with their uncle, aunt, and cousin, Eustace. The time is bittersweet for Peter and Edmund, who know all about war. And Eustace overhears something he should have not… Pre-VDT.

**Rating:** PG

**Timeline: **(movieverse) Four years post Prince Caspian/pre-Voyage of the _Dawn Treader_

**Spoilers: **For the 2005 and 2008 movies, and very minor ones for The Voyage of the_ Dawn Treader_ as well as the 2010 movie.

**Category:** Angst. Family. Non Slash.

**Disclaimers:** They're not mine, they're copyrighted to and belong to C.S. Lewis. The movie is based off of Lewis' work and copyrights also go to Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox, and Walden Media. Not making any money for this story. This fic is just for enjoyment.

_Thoughts and quotes from the books are in italics. _

* * *

**Chapter One**

_Time Passes_

* * *

_"Oh, Peter," said Lucy. "What awful bad luck. Can you bear it?" _

_"Well, I think I can," said Peter. "It's all rather different from what I thought. You'll understand when it comes to your last time." _Page 236 of Prince Caspian

* * *

_Finchley 1945, Winter Holidays_

Edmund Pevensie felt he was being pulled from sleep.

It took a minute to realize he was cold. Edmund pulled the thick covers up to his nose. He burrowed down for any more warmth he could get.

_It's not usually this cold_, he thought, still sleepy.

He opened his eyes and rubbed them.

Looking around, the fifteen-year-old found out why it was so cold. His brother, Peter stood by an open window. Not in the somewhat warm but hard makeshift bed that was on the floor.

"Peter?" Edmund asked as he got out of bed. He was chilled when his feet touched the cold floor. Then the cold air started slowly seeping around Edmund has he made his way to the window.

His older brother did not turned from the window to acknowledge him.

"You should go back to bed," Peter said after a minute.

"Not until you do," Edmund answered back looking up at him.

Edmund was surprised that he could almost look his older brother in the eye now. He still had few more inches to go, but he was not that much shorter then Peter. Maybe about six inches.

Peter let out an irritated breath, but it turned into a small cough.

"Some doctor you'll be if you're sick and can't study!" Edmund snapped furiously. With that, he moved to close the window.

"Ed, I'm fine." Peter sounded annoyed as he put a hand on Edmund's arm to stop him.

"No, you're not, you're freezing." Edmund could feel the cold from Peter's hand.

Peter let go of his arm. "Fine, but guess we will have to still leave the window open a crack."

Edmund glanced over to other bed, which was not empty. It was where their cousin, Eustace Clarence Scrubb, was sleeping. Personally he would not care if they closed the window, but their cousin would, without a doubt, complain.

"Uncle Harold and Aunt Alberta with their strange ideas," Peter grumbled.

Edmund shot a look to his brother. Had he even said something?

"Admit it, Ed, how in the world Mum and Aunt Alberta are sisters is beyond me." Peter said quietly as they made it back to the bed.

"Maybe. Susan and Lucy are quite different too."

"True," Peter nodded.

Edmund got back into bed, but did not get under the covers, though it was cold. Taking the bed cover he handed it to Peter.

"Ed-"

"Peter, you were being an ass for standing in front of the window like that."

Peter glared down at him.

Edmund sighed. "Please, just until you get warmed up?"

Peter sighed in return but sat next to Edmund on his bed.

"Or I could sleep on the floor," Edmund said put covers over his brother to warm him up. Sitting next to him, Edmund also noticed that Peter was starting to slowly warm up again. He just hoped Peter was really not coming down with anything.

"No, you are not!" Peter said in a slight louder voice.

They both paused to look at the sleeping boy in the next bed. Eustace did not make a sound.

Edmund figured they could argue over sleeping arrangments later.

"Why were you standing by the window anyway?"

He knew he took Peter by surprise. Edmund supposed Peter thought he would argue more about who would sleep on the floor, which would be himself, even if Peter did not like it.

"Do you miss it, Ed?"

Before Edmund could ask what Peter meant he continued.

"Narnia, I mean. It's been four years now."

"Yes of course I do, but what-"

"Did you expect to be back by now?"

Edmund looked at his older brother, though in the darkness it was hard to see his face. "I don't know, Pete. I mean maybe Aslan doesn't want Lucy and me back."

Though he longed to go back. Edmund knew all the wanting in the world was not going get him to Narnia. And the only way to get there was by Magic.

Peter shook his head. "No, I think Aslan wants you and Lucy back at some point. But I have to admit; I never thought it would be such a long time. Anything could have happened there."

_Anything, yes. Was Caspian still alive? Or was he merely a legend now? Had thousands of years gone by again? Had Narnia forgotten about us, the Kings and Queens of old?_

That last thought really saddened Edmund more then the others. It would be so much worse going back again, and Narnia forgotten about them then thousands of years gone by, and losing dear friends._  
_  
Edmund sighed. "Wishing that we were there won't help anything."

"Yes. But it's even worse knowing that I can't even go there anymore." Peter leaned his head against the headboard. After a minute, he said, "And once being a king in Narnia, but being stuck here…"

Edmund did not know what to say. He wished he could say something to help. But this lost and defenseless Peter was worse than the angry and brooding one that left Narnia the first time around.

"Aslan still considers us kings, you know, Peter," Edmund said. "Remember what he said at our coronation?"

"_Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen. _That's a wonderful memory, Ed. And I know, Aslan wouldn't have said it if it weren't true."

"But it still doesn't really help, does it?"

"It does. I know you meant well, Ed. I just like to know what I need to do here."

"Well, you're going to university now," Edmund said thoughtfully. "You still want to become a doctor don't you?"

"Yes. And when the war was still going on…"

"You wanted to fight?" Edmund asked quietly. "Don't you think we've fought in enough battles, Peter?"

His brother slowly nodded. "But-" Peter stopped with whatever he was about to say. "Anyway, it's good the war is over. Dad's finally home."

Edmund could not agree more to that. It was wonderful to have his father home again. He had been afraid for his father when he was away.

"I'm glad Dad's home too, Pete."

But he wondered what Peter would have said before that. Did he not agree they fought enough battles? Edmund would think Peter would agree to that from their first trip to Narnia, not to add helping Caspian, when they returned.

Visions of Peter fighting Miraz, Caspian's uncle, came to Edmund's mind. That fight, and its battle afterward had been a little too close in Edmund's opinion.

"Ed, don't you think you should get some more sleep?"

Edmund was not sure he could now get to sleep, but he said, "I guess. And so should you. But I'll take the floor."

"Ed-"

"Pete, let's not get into a fight about who sleeps on the floor, if we wake Eustace, I don't think any of us will get any sleep."

That was true. Eustace was, well in Edmund's opinion, a spoiled brat. He did not want a tired and whiny spoiled brat to deal with.

Peter sighed with annoyance. "Fine. But only for tonight."

Edmund did not say anything to that since he had won the round.

As he got under the covers on the floor, Edmund tried to get comfortable. It was not the first time he had slept on the ground.

_The last time was in Narnia when we were looking for Caspian,_ he thought.

As Edmund listened for Peter's breathing to deepen in sleep, he tried to think what he could do for him. But what could he do?

Aslan had forbid Peter and Susan from ever returning. They were too old.

As sleep crept back on him, Edmund thought, _What will become of Peter?_

Then he felt more than heard.

_Be at ease, dear one._

* * *

Italics - quotes

First –_ Prince Caspian _page 236

Second – _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe _page 199

Peter - 18, Susan - 17, Edmund – 15, Lucy – 13, and Eustace – 12

Thanks for reading. _Jenn_


End file.
